Mr. President was a name I was given back in 1997 due to a fierce love of the political game. With aspirations to change the world one person at a time along with an essential need to travel, this is my story.

Friday, March 14, 2008

It's A Bright Dark Day

It's cold outside, but I can feel the sun on my face. In the distance I can here the train going through town, and if I close my eyes, I can smell the damp earth of a recent rain storm far away. It has been a while since I last posted a "real" entry on my beloved blog. But a lot has happened since my days at the "Townhouse." I have changed, the world around me has changed.

It took me a while to come to grips with what just happened. . . I think that is why I have not posted anything about it. To be honest I am still trying to recover from the dishearting malaise of their quick action to, and I quote, "end their relationship with [me]." After 5 years of dedication, loyalty, and personal defiance of all the evils the outside world would say about my beloved employer; Target fired me over a return which created a $50 loss to the store. And that's it. That's all of it. I did not steal, I did not pocket any products, and to quell a rumor that I still get phone calls about, I did not rape anyone on the clock. If that last one was true don't you think I would be in jail right now?

Five years, then poof, gone. I always volunteered when help was needed. I always traveled when other stores need help (the best was the 2 and a half weeks I spent in Auburn as Human Resources), and I gave up precious time with my ever shrinking family because "they" needed a closer in a position that only I knew. I interned with them, and was even on the right road to becoming an ETL. But all that didn't matter. Once again they saw a return, which gave a guest a $50 gift card, not cash or a refund to their credit card, but in-store credit, as an error.

Even now I feel I did the right thing. I was helping a guest who, for lack of a better term, I fell prey to their sob story. She was old and got the classic runaround from the operators, and her receipt was about to expire, so I wanted to help her out. Target's revenue for Christmas '07 was $19,900,000,000.00. So what is $50 in store credit? I mean just the day before I saw Debbie (the store manager) give a guest a $30 gift card just to shut her up. Nevertheless, I was wrong and $50 dollars is all it took to terminate my employment. Not a suspension, dock in pay, final warning for a year, or a letter of reprimand; all of which you would receive if you worked in a public institution or at the very least a union job.

They may have taken my job, I would not let them take my pride. I walked out of there with a smile on my face and my head held high. Because, in the end, that's all you have left.

7 comments:

There was a rumor that you raped someone? Wow thats odd...you of all people...I'd have never thunk it! But im proud of you. You walked out of there with the gorgeous smile and you walked out with grace. I have faith in you Blake!

Hey man, remember when I got the boot. I accepted responsibility and walked out knowing it was going to be okay..... after all, I've left Chico, gone on to culinary school, and I'm in better shape than I was before I started college.

In all honesty, the end to my Target "career" was one of the best things that happened to me. Eventually, you may look on this the same way. Bigger, better things are on the horizon.

Hey Blake... I'm sorry about your termination... it is so unfair. You should call me so we can talk about my work woes... we can commiserate together. But I'm glad you walked out with a smile on your face, and regardless of what they did, you did the right thing. Kudos to you.

Oh, Blakeness! A BIG HUMUNGO DEATH-SQUEEZING HUG to you from me! Target will not be the same without you.

Hey, there's always Wal-Mart...

lol.

I wish you the best of luck in whatever you decide to do in the next step of your life. You have a ton of people who are behind you on this and will support you! You're one of the strongest people I know! :)

You have an amazing attitude and ability to handle this obstacle and any others that come your way. While losing a job is a definite bummer, you never know what opportunities will arise that you might have otherwise missed out on. I'm sure that while, this job was comfortable and secure for you, you will find a new adventure that arises out of the unfortunate circumstance. While it's a scary thing... I have definite faith in your ability to move on and above to greater things! In the words of Tupac... "Keep ya head up." :)

Leaving Target was one of the best moves of my career-driven life...it's better on the other side of the Bulls Eye, so to speak.

Target Management should be ALL ashamed of themselves for being so centered on penny pinching every fucking thing in that store...seriously...especially from LOYAL employees...did they forget that the cost of letting someone go and replacing them is just a little bit more than $50? OH CRAP, I GUESS THEY DIDN'T THINK ABOUT THAT.